1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to retrievers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a golf ball lifter and retriever.
2. Description of the Related Art
The playing of the game of golf involves reaching over to pick up a golf ball for marking, cleaning, and removal of the ball from the cup. This involves substantial effort, particularly for those players with physical limitations. Known golf ball lifters- or retrievers are complex, require carrying an extra shaft, are bulky, are limited in function, or are subject to quick deterioration during use. It would be desirable to provide a golf ball lifter and retriever which may easily be carried by the user or mounted on the butt end of a club grip, is rugged such as to withstand repeated use and avoid damage when the club upon it is mounted is placed in a golf bag, and is effective for easily lifting a ball from the ground or a golf cup and provides for easy removal of the ball by the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,830,520, issued Nov. 3, 1931, to Moyses, describes a golf ball lifter employing a suction cup mountable on the end of the grip of a golf club or the like such as a putter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,021,068, issued May 3, 1977, to Piazza, describes a golf ball retriever for retrieving a golf ball from a hazard such as water, sand, or rough which employs a vacuum pumped golf ball receiver.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,288, issued Mar. 2, 1993, to Rogers, describes a golf club attachable ball retriever which is collapsible to be carried flat in a pocket. The retriever has two fingers having indentations for holding the golf ball.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,543, issued Jun. 13, 1995, to Tarrant, describes a specialized golf shaft having ball mark repair elements extending from the grip and a scoop-like golf ball lifter for scooping the ball from the golf cup.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,366, issued Oct. 24, 1998, to Pugh, describes a golf ball retriever for fitting on the butt end of a golf club grip having pairs of opposed elastic fingers which slip over and close on a golf ball to be lifted or retrieved.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,558, issued Nov. 24, 1997, to Huber, describes a golf ball lifter or retriever having two opposed golf ball gripping fingers and a device for dropping a marker for putting.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,120,387, issued Sep. 19, 2000, to Bobst, describes a golf ball retriever system for attachment to the butt end of a golf grip which is cylindrical, having an elastomeric lock near its base when in use which stretches over the golf ball upon application of downward force and traps the ball in the cylinder for removal through an upper sidewall opening.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,611, issued Jun. 25, 2002, to Louk, Jr. et al. describes a golf swing training umbrella having a removable ball retrieving scoop at the butt end of the handle for retrieving golf balls from hazards such as water.
British Patent No. GB2 128 484 A, published May 2, 0.1984, describes a golf ball retriever having a polymeric cup having a rib which stretches over the golf ball for securing and lifting the ball.
European Patent Application EP 0 435,120 A1, published Oct. 23, 1991, describes a golf ball retriever as part of a golf club grip having spring loaded fingers for grasping the golf ball.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, a golf ball lifter solving the aforementioned problems is desired.